Crate



Nov. 25, 1924 35mm" B. A. LANGE. Y

' CRATE :med sept.- 27.V was` Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UITED STATES P A T E N T BERTI-)COLD A. LANGE, 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CRATE.

Application filed :September 27, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, BnnrHoLD A. LANGE, a citizen of the United States,residino' atthe city of St. Louis, in the State of lhVlissouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to egg-crates or similar cellular packingstructures, and pertains more particularly to a novel means forstifi'ening or V-bracing the individual layers or units thereof whichare arranged in tiers and contain each a group of cells, whereby thewalls of these units, which lack rigidity because of their extremethinness and the flexible nature of the material of which they arefabricated, are reinforced against the tendency to lateral flexing',-which shortens the transverse dimension of a row of cells, with theconsequent compression and resulting breakage of the eggs or otherfragile articles which may be contained in the pockets of the structure.

This invention contemplates the placing of a stiifening strip across atier of cells at or near the middle thereof, so that its efectivenesswill be more equally distributed toward either side along the length ofthe strip than if the strip were otherwise located on the structure.Otherwise stated, one of the objects of this invention is to place thisstiflening .strip at the point of maximum effectiveness, so that a.minimum of material may be used therefor.

Another `object is to provide two such stilfening strips, one for eachrow of intersecting partitions, so that lateral flexing ofi thepartitions extending in each direction is minimized.

Another object is to allocate these two strips, one to the top of thetier, and the other to the bottom, so that the stiffening effect will beequalized between the top and the bottom.

A further object is to provide such stifl'ening means which shall beseparate from the usual diaphragm or flat which is inserted betweensuccessive tiers or layers of cells.

@ther objects and advantages will be ap parent as the descriptionproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a single unit or Serial No. 665,107.

layer of cells embodying this invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pair of superposed units or layers,separated by a diaphragm or flat, and to which this invention has beenapplied.

The crates 1 are preferably fabricated of strawboard and may be arrangedin a plurality of as many tiers as desired or may be used singly, andconsist of a series of strips or walls 2, intersecting another series ofstrips 3, the saine being preferably interlocked, which may be by anysuitable means, such for instance as shown in the drawing, where slits 4and 5 in the strips 2 and 3 face oppositely to each other and overlapthe opposing strip. Notches 6 in the strip 2 and 3 receive the part ofthe opposing strip not cut away.

The usual flat or diaphragm 7 between tiers of crates provides a floorupon which the eggs or other fragile articles in the pockets 8 can rest.

The strips 2 and 3 form partitions and side walls, and their endsterminate in projections 9. The lids or fiats 7 project sol as tooverlie the said projections 9 and thus to arotect the same from beingbent or broken. Vhen they are bent or broken the breakage of eggs in thecrate is increased.

To oppose lateral ieXing or bending of the walls 2 and 3, aperpendicular flange 10 and 11 are formed on the respective middle wallof each series of walls or strips 2 and. 3, if there are an odd numberof such walls in a series, and these flanges 10 and 11 may projectin`either direction, as desired. lf there are an even number of such wallsin a series, or what amounts to the same thing, an odd number of rows ofpockets 8, the flanges 10 and 11 are preferably ,located so as to coverthe middle row of pockets 8, being formed on either of the walls 2 and 3adjacent the middle row of pockets 8.

The top edges 12 of the strips 3 lie ever v where in the same plane withthe top edges 13 of the strips 2, except that in the middle row ofpockets it is preferable that the top edges 12 lie slightly below thetop edges 13, as shown at 14, so that the thickness of the flange 10will lill the difference in height, and the top 15 of the flange 10 isflush with the top edges 13. Similarly the bottom edges 16 of the strips2 are raised or recessed at 17 to receive the flange 11 and allow thebottom side 18 of the same to lie in the same plane with the bottomedges 16. This construction permits the diaphragm 7 to lie flat againstthe side of the crate 1.

The flanges 10 and l1 are formed integral with the respective stripsfrom which they project, and thereby positively stiften the said stripsagainst lateral bending or flexing, and this rigidity is communicatedfrom the flanged strip to its parallel fellows in the series through theintersecting walls of the other series. The location of' the flangedstrip in the middle results in less st-rainV on those portions of theintersecting walls extending lfrom either side of the middle than wouldoccur if the entire strain were transmitted in one direction from oneend of the crate to the other through all the rows of pockets, as is thecase when the flange is at one end. Flanges 10 and ll, being arrangedtransversely with relation to one another, impart rigidity in the twodirections in which it is needed. Furthermore7 one flange being on thebottom and the other on the top, the strain is equally distributedbetween the lower and upper portions of the structure.

Having thus described this invention, l hereby reserve the benefit ofall changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it isevident that many minor changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the firstanentioned series of walls, andmeans integral `with one of the said walls nearest the middle of aseries for bracing the said wall against lateral flexing, and adiaphragm for closing an open side of the crate. y

2. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the first-1nentioned series of par allelwalls, and separate means in each series and integral with one of thesaid walls nearest the middle of its respective series for bracing thesaid Walls against lateral iiexing. l

3. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the first-mentioncd series, and respectivemeans in each series for bracing one of its walls nearest the middlethereof against lateral flexing, the said means being located one oneach side respectively7 of the said crate.

l. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the first-mentioned series of parallelwalls, and respective means in each series and integral with one of thesaid walls nearest the middle of its respective series lfor bracing thesaid walls against lateral flexing, the said means being locatedrespectively on opposite sides of the said crate.

5. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the first-mentioned series, the respectivewall of each series nea-rest the mid dle thereof having a perpendicularflange, the said flanges being located respectively on `opposite sidesof' the said crate.

6. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the first-mentioned series, the respectivewall of each series nearest the middle thereof having a perpendicularflange integral therewith, the said flanges being located respectivelyon opposite sides of the said crate.

7. A crate comprising a series of parallel walls, a second series ofparallel walls intersecting the firstmentioned series, a perpendiculariiange on the nearest-tothemid dle-wall of a series, formed by bending aprojection of the said wall over against a side of the crate, andrecesses in the edges of the walls crossed by the said flange forreceiving the same.

In testimony whereof l hereunto my signature. y

BERTHOLD A. LANGE.

